Day 7: Lunge Your Way To Leaner Legs With Runista

Your first week of the 30 Day Sweat Challenge is nearly up and you're well on your way to being fitter and more sculpted. If it's your legs you want to focus on, guest blogger Runista shows you how to achive lean, toned thighs with a few simple moves.

For girls who suffer from big-thigh syndrome like me I've come up with this 'leaner leg challenge' that involves lots of lunges and squats. My three exercises will definitely strengthen and tone your glutes and thighs muscles.

30x Air Squats

I love air squats as you can do them anywhere and you don’t need anything just your legs. They are key for development of your butt and quads muscles and by air squatting you will also work your core, back and shoulders. However, only a proper air squat counts, so make sure you get the technique right by following these principles:

Make sure you feet are hip-width apart

Keep your weight on your heels

Knees are over your toes but never beyond

Keep engaging your butt, back and core all the time

30x Pistols (15 each leg)

Pistols are super tough but definitely worth the pain as they will make your legs stronger and leaner. Balance, strength and flexibility is what you need to master a pistol squat so don’t worry if you can’t do a proper one yet. Pistol is basically air squat on one leg:

Hold your arms out in front of you

Stand on one leg; your free leg is straight out in front of you (like a pistol)

Sit down as far as you can and push yourself back up

Repeat

Don’t worry if you can’t do even one; pistols are really hard-core but once mastered your legs will be made of iron.

30x Side Lunges (30 each leg)

Lunges are one of the my favorite lower body exercises as they will strengthen and tone your glutes, thighs and hips.